It's been 13 years since D.C. voters approved medical marijuana, but legal blocks have come up since then.

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Irvin Rosenfeld suffers from a rare form of bone cancer and says marijuana acts as an anti-inflammatory and painkiller. He lights up a joint outside the Wilson Building, in front of police.

“This was used as a medicine in this country, legally, from 1860 to 1937,” he said.

He's one of four patients who get regular shipments of pot through the FDA’s investigational new drug program. The federal waiver allows them to legally smoke weed.

Rosenfeld joined activists Wednesday to call on the Gray administration to implement D.C.'s medical marijuana law, which went into effect a year ago.

“Patients are suffering without their medicine... and patients should have access to the medicine that works best for them,” said Nikolas Schiller of the D.C. patients’ cooperative.

The D.C. health department director agrees with the group. “I absolutely feel for them,” said Dr. Mohammad Akhter. “I know this is something we need to move forward but we have to do this under the law.”

In February, Akhter promised the system would be up and running in 60 to 90 days. But concerns about federal or congressional intervention have slowed down the process.

“We've received information from the USDOJ, USAO expressing their concerns about this and we want to frankly be sure we acknowledge all the concerns that exist so that when we have a program to move forward it is sound as we can possible make it,” Mayor Vincent Gray said.

City leaders say those hoping to grow and dispense medical marijuana will be able to formally apply in August. In September, a special committee made up of health, public safety and legal officials will begin a two-month selection process. They'll collect input from local advisory neighborhood commissions.

“The bottom line is we will be issuing licenses in the middle of December,” Akhter says.

Advocates counter that the process has stretched on too long and the regulations are too restrictive.

“The patients who are going to benefit from this program are fed up and are sick and tired of waiting. They're sick of it. They want their medicine now,” says Adam Eidinger of the Medical Marijunana Service.